The Boeing-Bell Helicopter team building the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft has received a contract to upgrade the training system for Air Force Special Operations Command’s CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft. In a release Oct. 30, Boeing said this work entails adding an aircrew flight simulation (AFS) to the CV-22 cabin part task trainer used by the 58th Training Squadron at Kirtland AFB, N.M., to instruct CV-22 flight engineers. The AFS fuses video images with virtual reality, enabling students to view both the interior cabin environment and the simulated outside world in a composite picture on a helmet-mounted display. “This is an innovative approach that allows students to train on real-time cargo air drops, parachute drops, and emergencies, including wing fires, hydraulic leaks, and engine smoke,” said Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president of training systems and services. This modification also opens the door to additional future upgrades, he said.
Air Force Changes Rules for Pregnant Aircrew—Again
April 3, 2025
The Air Force is changing its policy for pregnant aircrew, generally reverting to rules set in 2019 that barred female aviators from flying during the first trimester—or from flying in aircraft with ejection seats at all—due to potential risks to the pilot and her unborn fetus.